


Pero el amor es más fuerte

by Maiucha



Category: Football RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Gen, M/M, Meant To Be, families, not football players, we didn't make it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-29
Updated: 2017-04-29
Packaged: 2018-10-25 12:19:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,412
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10764150
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maiucha/pseuds/Maiucha
Summary: Lionel doesn't travel to Barcelona and Newell's lets him go, Sergio never gets to play on Independiente's first team. They don't play the Youth World Cup in the Netherlands in 2005 together. They don't meet.Okay, they (still) do.





	Pero el amor es más fuerte

**Author's Note:**

  * For [pique](https://archiveofourown.org/users/pique/gifts).
  * Translation into 中文 available: [【授翻】而爱更炽](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15476850) by [L_Galina](https://archiveofourown.org/users/L_Galina/pseuds/L_Galina)



> Without [neyvenger](http://archiveofourown.org/users/jjjat3am/pseuds/neyvenger) this wouldn't exist. Calling her "beta" isn't enough. I am not exaggerating. _Gracias_.
> 
> Hover for translations, but I want to detail one word:  
>  _Parrilla_ : a restaurant that only serves things made on a _parrilla_ , that are related to _asados_. It's a very special kind of restaurant in Argentina, it's normally small and not fancy, usually frequented by regulars and a lot are run by the owners and their families.  
>  (There are, of course, fancy ones. Real fancy, expensive ones. The one here, it's not that)  
> The title means: "but love is stronger".
> 
> To be on the safe side:  
> Sergio's family: Mom (Adriana Agüero), Dad (Leonel del Castillo) and siblings: Yesica (older than Kun), Gastón, Gabriela, Daiana, Mauricio, Maira.  
> Lionel's family: Dad (Jorge), Mom (Celia), Grandma, siblings (they're not on the story).  
> Indendiente: Kun's first team here.  
> Newell's: Lionel's first team here.  
> People in Argentina greet each other with a kiss on the cheek.  
> In Argentina before you choose any career in the public University of Buenos Aires (UBA) you have to do a year called "CBC" (literally: common basic cycle). After that, in Medicine, basically you have 3 years of studying at the university and another 3 years of studying at a hospital (the classes are in the hospital, you go there every morning). Probably one of the most important hospitals in the country is a block away from Med School.

_“Venme a buscar, venme a buscar,_  
_tu corazón me sabrá encontrar,_  
_cerca del valle, lejos del mar,_  
bajo este cielo te voy a esperar.”  
_-_ [Venme a buscar](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCJ8nndNLRQ), performed by Fulanas Trio-

 

.2015.

He is, as usual, late.

Lionel runs to the hospital and somehow, when he's five blocks away, he finds himself on the floor. Thankfully, his reflexes still work and his hands make first contact with it, but it hurts and, also, it's wet.

"What the actual fuck," he says to the wet, soapy floor in front of his face.

"Oh, man, oh man, are you okay?" a voice calls, and when Lionel turns his head to see that a very concerned guy is looking at him. "Do you need anything? Should I call a doctor? Wait, let me help you up!"

"I am a doctor," Lionel says as he sits up on the floor, "in training," he adds under his breath and then he looks down to see how wet his scrubs are. He curses again. A hand appears in front of him.

"Up?" the man says. Lionel takes the hand.

"I'm sorry," the man says. He's dressed in white and it almost looks like scrubs too, like some sort of uniform. For the first time, Lionel looks at the man's face, and he _actually_ looks guilty. It makes Lionel feel worse.

"It's not your fault, dude," Lionel replies, "I wasn't watching where I was going."

Lionel looks around and sees the bucket that is turned to the side, water still pouring from it, and goes to set it straight.

"Leave that, don't worry, I'll refill it."

Lionel does a double take then, notices that the guy is holding a broom with the hand he didn't offer.

"Sorry," Lionel says this time.

"It's nothing, as long as you're okay. It's just a bucket of water, man."

"Yeah," Lionel looks again at his ruined scrubs. If he sits behind in class it'll have enough time to dry. _Fuck, class._ "I'm late, I gotta go."

The man smiles, "try not to run into more buckets."

Lionel wants to be offended by that, but the guy's smile is really adorable and he just laughs it away and replies with: "I'll do my best."

         

.1999.

Jorge Messi walks away from the office belonging to his health insurance to find his wife Celia and his kid waiting outside, playing cards. Lionelcito has recently learned to play _[casita robada](stolen%20house) _ and he wants to master it. Celia looks up at Jorge and Jorge can't lie to her, can't give her false hope, so he just shakes his head. His wife understands and straightens up on her chair, says to Lionelcito, "Look, dad's back!" and the boy, small as he is, and as he's most likely going to stay, hugs his father and tells him all about beating his mother at cards.

 

.2003.

Oscar Ruggeri walks around Wilde, speaking in hushed tones with managers of the youth teams. He's making all the boys (and their parents) nervous and wary. At the end of the day, Ruggeri gives a list of three names he'd like to see on the bench for the next game and the one after that. The second name on that list is "Sergio Leonel Aguero".

 

.2015.

It's a little after seven this time, so Lionel is not late. And yes, it's the first time this  year that this has actually happened. But, he's never been a morning person, not since he stopped training.

Now, hospital classes are in the morning hours, the _very awful_ morning hours and Lionel is adjusting. He did well today, he decides, so he buys himself a coffee at Starbucks just as he leaves his building. Sure, he could have gotten it at the Starbucks right across the hospital, but it's always so crowded with people and there's a big chance that he'll run into someone he knows from past classes and he—

"Hey, be aware of the bucket," a voice calls and Lionel stops. The man from Monday is there, adorable smile, white uniform, broom in hand. The bucket is about twenty steps away from Lionel.

He laughs, says, "Thanks, but I'm not running today."

"You're holding a hot drink man, I didn't want to risk it."

Lionel thanks him again, doesn't know what else to say, but he doesn't want to go either. He wants to stay and talk - about what? What can he talk about? Why would this guy want to talk to him? Why does Lionel even want to talk to him?

"Kun! Leave that, come in here for a minute!" someone calls. The man sighs and replies with "Coming!"

"Have a good day, doc.”

"You too," Lionel calls back, doesn't correct the title he still hasn't earned.

As the man disappears, Lionel takes the time to look at the place: the guy left via a side door, and next to it, there's metal curtain that covers everything and on top of it there's a sign that reads " _[El Castillo de la carne](Meat's%20castle)_ " with a rather awful drawing of a castle made of meat. It's fitting for a _parrilla_ , and it makes Lionel laugh.

 

.2000.

Newell's can't afford him, they explain. Newell's can't afford anything right now, they say.

Jorge knows they're affording Gustavo Rodas, and he can't blame them. Gustavo Rodas doesn't have a hormone deficiency, he's as tall and as built as he has to be, and as soon as the club realizes that, they make sure Rodas' family is adjusted and they can start to take care of Rodas' life. It's a safer, better choice.

Lionel scored an unbelievable amount of goals, Jorge tells River, tells Barcelona, tells everyone who'd listen. Lionel is talented; his coach says he never saw anyone play like that.

Lionel is very small, River says, he needs treatments to be able to continue a professional career. Lionel sounds interesting, Barcelona agrees, bring him over and we can check.       

                                                                                                                      

.2003.

Sergio can't believe his eyes. Or his ears. Or the tingling sensation in his feet. Or the way his stomach does somersaults. Or the sweating in his palms.

Alright, he can believe all that.

What he can't believe is that he's sitting on the bench of _La doble visera_ and that maybe, if Ruggeri calls for him like he said he might, he can play today. On the first team. At fifteen years old.

 

.2015.

 _El castillo de la carne_ is, like every other morning, closed. Lionel can't see the bucket and the guy (Kun, he remembers) is nowhere to be seen. Lionel knows it's early (oh, does he know) but he assumed Kun would be around.

"I don't think it's fair," Lionel hears from. somewhere close by, "why do I have to go to school? You didn't have to--"

"Gastón, this is not something you can have an opinion on," someone replies and Lionel knows that voice. It may be lacking the concern or the teasing, but Lionel knows its Kun's. He can see them: Kun with a boy who looks like a younger, thinner version of him.

"But-"

"No," Kun interrupts, "do you want me to tell mom that I found you trying to skip class?"

"No!" says, horrified, young-Kun.

"Then go," Kun says, "here's money for the cab so you won't be that late."

"I'm going to be playing on the team next year, I won't need--"

"I admire how dad never smacked you, but I'm feeling a mighty need to punch you right now."

Younger-Kun looks worried, like he's unsure if Kun is going to hit him or not. Eventually he seems not to want to try his luck and turns.

"Take the cab right here where I can see you," Kun says, crossed arms and all, "and don't think I'm not gonna ask Gabriela if you're in school. You know she never lies to me."

Younger-Kun says nothing to that and stops a cab that turns into the street a moment later. When he's in it, Kun waves. Lionel can see that the wave is answered. The worst of the fight seems to be over.

"How often does that happen?" Lionel asks.

"At least once a month," Kun sighs, "and good morning, you're early."

"I have an exam today," Lionel says, and it's true. Kun doesn't need to know that Lionel actually got up earlier because of him and not the exam.

"Oh, good luck with that," Kun gives him a long look, "do doctors still take exams?"

Lionel can't help it, he laughs.

"I'm not a doctor yet," he explains, "'I told you I was in training."

"You did?" Kun looks suspicious.

"I promise I did," Lionel nods. "I'm on my fourth year actually, two more to go."

"All right, I believe you," Kun walks to the door to the other side of the metal curtain. "Well, I gotta go get ready to start cleaning this up, Gaston's little stunt delayed me."

"Yeah, I can tell."

"Wait, did Mr. I-ran-into-a-bucket-because-I-was-late just tease _me_ about my punctuality?"

"Maybe," Lionel says, trying not to laugh. He can't hold it, not when Kun starts to laugh.

"Go to your exam, doc."

"It's Lionel."

Kun nods and doesn't stop smiling, "Sergio." he offers, "see you tomorrow" and goes inside. This time he doesn't use the side door he used the day before, but another door, a wooden one that seems to belong to the house next to the _parrilla_.

 

.2000.

"It's for a test," mom says.

"Yes," dad answers.

"I'm pretty sure he's tired of being tested," mom replies, and Lionel wants to agree with her a little.

"It's not the same, maybe this one can be the one. If they like him."

"If," mom echoes, " _if_."

"Yeah."

"We don't have the money, Jorge," mom has that tone she uses when she talks about money, "and with how the country is doing, I don't think it's safe to be getting into more debt."

"But he can't play football otherwise,"

"But he can live a normal life, he can do whatever he wants."

"No football," dad repeats.

Lionel leaves after that, goes back to his room and sits down on the bed. He looks up to Maradona's poster that looks down at him. Lionel wonders if Maradona is going to forgive him. If dad is going to forgive him.

 

.2003.

Ruggeri looks around the bench, opens his mouth, Sergio can almost see the "A"--

A whistle makes the coach turn his attention back to the field. A free kick, for Independiente.

Ruggeri shouts out some instructions. He doesn't turn towards the bench again.

"Are we calling someone?" the assistant asks.

"No," Ruggeri says, "no one."

 

.2015.

"[Hola, papi](Hi,%20man)," Sergio says before Lionel can even see him, the broom and the bucket at his side.

"'Morning, Sergio," Lionel returns, then stops and stares. Sergio is wearing an Independiente jersey. "What happened to the uniform?"

"What uniform?" Sergio looks down on himself, "oh, the cleaning clothes," he looks up to Lionel. "I'm not doing the floor today, Gastón is. He tried to pretend he was sick to miss school, mom heard him on the phone with a friend about it. Mom told him that he wasn't going to go to class then and put him on cleaning duty. It's gonna be great."

Sergio actually looks excited about it and Lionel can't help but smile as well.

"And I bet you're going to make sure he does his work very well."

Sergio's smile grows bigger, if that's possible, "come back later, you'll be able to eat from this street."

"Maybe I will," Lionel considered, "it's Thursday, I'm done at two."

"We still have some food for lunch at that time," Sergio tells him, "Gastón would be gone, but I can show you all the embarrassing pictures I plan to take."

"You're a great brother, Sergio."

"Thank you," he takes a bow and Lionel humors him by clapping, "I do try."

From the house door, a very angry boy appears. He gives both Lionel and Sergio glares.

"Good morning, little brother!"

"Whatever," Gastón says, "where's the stuff?"

"Over here, and stop looking like someone ruined your morning, Gasti. You have no one to blame by yourself."

Gastón curses under his breath while he grabs the bucket and the broom, and Lionel sees how Sergio is already taking his phone from his pocket.

"I'm off to class," he says, after Sergio snaps the first picture.

"Cool," Sergio nods, "see you later?"

"Yeah," Lionel agrees, smiling, "see you later."

 

Instead of walking with his classmates the long way back home, Lionel says goodbye to them by the Hospital's back entrance and takes the route he does every morning.

When he arrives at _El castillo de la carne_ the image before him is very different from the one he sees at seven AM. There are a few tables outside, two of them with occupied and the smell of meat and smoking coal makes Lionel's mouth water. Inside, it's all noise and the warmth of the fire. There's people at almost all of the tables, most of them already finishing their lunch. There are workers from different offices, a group of kids from a school nearby, a few doctors probably from the hospital and students from the surrounding universities.

"[Hola, hijo](Hi,%20son), do you want a table?" a man asks to his side and Lionel sees a tanned, slim man, younger than his father, wearing an apron and smiling at him.

"Hola, I—"

"You came!" Sergio calls from behind him and Lionel turns around. The man behind him laughs, it's a throaty sound.

"You're the morning doctor!" the man says.

"His name is Lionel, dad, almost like yours, can't be that hard to remember for your old head."

The man laughs again, "Good to meet you Lionel," the man says, "I'm Leonel".

Lionel smiles at him.

"Come on, let's get you some food," Sergio grabs him by the arm and pulls him further inside the _parilla_.

Sergio seats them at a table away from the others, closer to the kitchen and Lionel feels a little flattered by the special treatment.

"This would be a very awkward moment for you to tell me you're vegetarian or something."

Lionel laughs, "I'm not," he reassures Sergio, and then, "How much does Gaston hate you now?"

"Eh, I have that recorded actually," Sergio puts his phone on the table and hands it over to Lionel. "You watch it, I'll go get food."

Lionel watches the video, laughs at Gastón's rather creative cursing, at the "I hate you more than I hate Racing right now" and at Sergio's laugh in the background.

Sergio comes back with two burgers and lots of fries.  Following  him is a young girl with Sergio's smile, who puts drinks on the table. She says her name is Yesica and calls herself "this menace's older sister," while pointing at Sergio.

Lionel decides he likes her. He tells Sergio that and he stabs himself in the chest with a French fry.

"Our friendship is done," Sergio declares.

"Our friendship survived your jersey, we'll be fine."

Sergio looks distressed, maybe even scared when he asks "What club do you root for?"

"Newell's."

He gives Lionel a look. "Who roots for Newell's outside Santa Fe?"

"A _rosarino_ ," Lionel says, defensive, and bites into his burger.

It's the best thing he's tried since he got to Buenos Aires. "Oh my God, your dad is awesome."

Sergio smiles.

"He only grills them," he explains, "burgers are my thing."

"Your thing? You made this?"

Lionel looks to the burger and then at Sergio, back and forth a few times until Sergio cracks up.

"Mom and dad make most of the things; I help with the grilling when we're busy at night. But burgers are my secret babies," he explains, proud. "When my siblings were little we had to make meat last sometimes, so I got creative."

"This is really good," Lionel says, unsure of what to do with so much information, but Sergio doesn't look ashamed of sharing it, so Lionel ends up smiling at him.

 

.2001.

No one travels to Barcelona No one asks about him anymore.

Lionel gets to play football in school and sometimes he does things that leave people open mouthed. Jorge has a speech made up for them, about Lionel's fragile health and how he wouldn't have been able to stand the life of a professional sportsman.

 

.2003.

Adriana doesn't tell hims anything and neither does Leonel. But Sergio isn't a kid anymore (maybe he wasn't ever a kid, he's not sure) and he can tell that there's something going on.

His father hasn't had a steady job since 2000 and his mother doesn't make much money cleaning houses.It's not always enough to feed them all. And now he's out for Independiente. Leonel suggested something about trying in a small club, where they might need young talents. Sergio's past coaches all said they'd recommend him. And so Adriana says "I'll take him tomorrow."

If she takes him it means she won't be working. If she's not working, they're going to have _polenta_ for dinner again. The kids are tired of eating _polenta_.

"Don Juan, from the greengrocer is asking for an assistant," Sergio says, "I could ask him if I he'll take me."

"Sergio, no," Adriana says.

"Kun-Kun, don't even think about it," says Leonel.

"It's okay," Sergio says, "I wanna help."

And he really does.

 

.2015.

Lionel leaves the house early and detours towards Starbucks. He buys himself a large coffee, no cream, no sugar, a shot of caramel. His grandmother used to drink it like that, except she used homemade caramel sauce and Lionel doesn't have the time (or the skill) to make it.

By the time he gets to _El castillo de la carne_ , Sergio is already outside, sweeping the leaves that the wind brought during the night, the bucket waiting by the side door. Lionel smiles at that. If the bucket would have been there, neatly put away, when he was rushing last week, he wouldn't have meet Sergio.

"Morning," he calls out as he comes closer, Sergio looks up and his ever-present smile grows when their eyes meet.

"Hola Leo," Sergio replies, "had a fun weekend?"

"Oh, yeah, heart conditions and I had a blast," Lionel smiles, "what about you?"

"Gabriela had a dance on Friday, dad's still angsting about it," Sergio explains. "Mom and I are taking bets on how long it'll take him to confiscate Gaby's phone, want in?"

"I think I'm going to sit this one out, I don't know your dad well enough," Lionel says, and takes a sip from his cup.

"Your loss," Sergio says "Do you actually like that?"

"What?" Lionel looks down, sees if there's anything wrong with his dark blue scrubs. Finds nothing.

"That thing you call coffee when it's barely colored water."

"Hey, it's not that bad," Lionel complains, "Starbucks has pretty decent coffee."

"Pretty decent," Sergio snorts, "If you want good coffee, the real thing, I'll make you some for tomorrow morning."

"Is that so?"

"Hell yeah, doc."

"I'll be picking it up, kid,.

"Good."

"Good," Lionel nods. Sergio can't hold a serious face without laughing for longer than a few second and it makes Lionel smile as well. He likes this, having a good laugh before class every morning.

 

.2002.

Lionel's grandmother still takes him to games.

She  fights with mom and dad every time she visits and the subject comes up, but she just says that her love for the sport has nothing to do with Lionel's playing it or not. Says that Lionel's love is the same. Jorge complains that a fifteen year old kid can't know anything about love. Grandma ignores that.

She takes Lionel to see Newell's, teaches him everything he has to know to making smart observations about it. Tells him she'll take him to see the national team play, too.

Lionel loves football, because football is his grandma, and he loves her.

 

.2004.

Adriana has a steady job, cleaning in an elementary school. Leonel works as a janitor there four days a week and, sometimes, he goes to Capital Federal to help clean and repair warehouses. Sergio works every morning, leaving with Leonel before Yesica and Adriana take the kids to school.

Adriana tells him one afternoon that he could try something else if he wanted, that the local team that plays in the second category is trying boys in July. He could train and give it a go. Leonel agrees, says he can take Sergio to training after work.

He says no. Says he's staying with his job just in case any of them loses theirs, says he has to be home for when everyone gets back from school to help Yesica with the kids. When he isn't looking Adriana exchanges glances with her husband and silently asks him "what did we do so right when we brought him into this world?"

 

.2015.

He's late, because he didn't hear the alarm.

That's a lie and Lionel knows it, accepts it as he goes down the stairs, because he doesn't even have the time to wait for the elevator. He stopped the alarm and he said "I'm getting up in a second" and a second became fifty minutes later.  He runs all the way to Sergio's street but he can't run there,  because: a) Sergio is going to mock him and b) the bucket may be after him again.

"You're late, I know," Sergio says as soon as Lionel gets close. He's holding a bright pink thermo cup and he gives it to Lionel, saying, "It's coffee, now go, and please don't fall over."

Lionel is pretty sure he could kiss him, if he wasn't in such a hurry.

 

.2003.

San Lorenzo is winning against a rather pale Independiente on the television, when the camera goes over Independiente's bench. There are a few boys that could be Lionel's age, maybe even less.

Lionel gets up from the room and when Jorge calls out "what is it?" Lionel doesn't answer. Jorge follows him to his room. Lionel didn't close the door, he's just sitting in the middle of the bed.

"What is it?" Jorge asks, again.

"Did you really try?" Lionel asks, "mom says you tried everywhere."

"What are you talking about?"

"When I was a kid, did you really try taking us everywhere, even when Newell's said no?"

"I," Jorge makes a motion to come into the room, but doesn't. "Yes, I did."

"Why?"

"Because I wanted you to have the chance."

"Even when I couldn't do it."

"You could, you only needed to be fixed."

Lionel opens his eyes wide when the word sinks in. He feels it resonate inside his head as if it was the only thing anyone ever told him. He gets up.

"Lio, where are you going?" Jorge asks, "I mean your health, your health needed fix--"

Lionel doesn't hear any more, he's runs to his grandmother's house.

 

.2004.

The house is small and getting smaller. Soon four girls in one room and four boys in the other are going to be a mess, Adriana says, and Leonel makes a noise that's part agreement, part worry.

"We'll be fine," Yesica says, "us girls like to gossip."

"Sure," Adriana says, "and when your brothers kill each other for whatever reason, you'll have their room, too."

"That was always the plan, mom," Yesica smiles, Sergio pokes her side with a "hey!" that is absolutely ignored by the table.

"We could try to find a bigger house," Leonel says, "if things keep progressing. We're not doing bad right now. Maybe, if we find something cheap."

"I always wanted to live in a house near my job," Adriana says, as if Leonel's words give her the encouragement to dream. "For example, we could live in the back and the front could be a, a car shop."

"And who's gonna run that?" Leonel sounds amused, "Yesica is the only one that can talk about cars in this family."

"It was an example," Adriana pretends to look offended and Leonel kisses her cheek, while, Sergio and Yesica make the appropriate disgust noises.

"A restaurant," Adriana says after a moment, of exchanged mates in silence, "not a fancy thing, a restaurant for people who work and have little time to eat, and for kids from school, maybe."

"A _parrilla_ ," Sergio says, suddenly invested, "we'll have menus for lunch and big asados for dinner time."

"That's perfect!" Adriana nods.

"I'll help with the fire and cutting the meat," Leonel offers, amused.

"I'll be on table duty," Yesica adds, winking at her father. But Adriana and Sergio miss that, because they're inside their heads, thinking that maybe, if things keep going alright…

 

.2015.

Lionel really wants to go to bed and sleep, go back to the dream he was cruelly torn away from that morning. But he also wants to see Sergio, say thank you for the coffee, give back the pink monstrosity that got him mocking comments until Lionel opened it and the smell of strong espresso made everyone impossibly jealous.

"Hi, Leonel," he says as he walks inside the _parrilla_. Leonel is sitting by the register and barely looks up to give him a "hello son"

"Oh, hey, we're just about to close up," Sergio says. He's putting chairs up and Lionel decides to put his backpack away and help.

"Yeah, I know," Lionel says. He rushed a bit when he realized that it was almost four, because he remembered Sergio telling him that working hours were from 12am to 4pm and 7pm to 01am. "I wanted to say thank you."

"Good coffee, uh?"

"The best," Lionel nods, "since grandma I hadn't had anything this good."

"My dad's only bad habit is coffee. We got him a real espresso machine that makes the best coffee for his 40th birthday. All of us chipped in, even the old owner of this place. Why do you think everyone orders coffee here?"

"Force of habit?"

Sergio laughs at him, as they finish the last table.  In the front, Lionel can hear the metallic curtain go down.

"Sorry about the pink cup, I didn't have anything else and I didn't ask you if you had one you could bring, so I asked Gaby for the one she has for school trips."

"The cup was perfect," Lionel says, because he honestly hadn't cared about the mocking. "Maybe I can thank her for lending it to me?" he says, because he really wants to stay and also meet the youngest of the family, those he has heard about her, but has never seen her around working on any of the chores.

"Yeah, come on, let's go home," Sergio say. Before they walk out, he asks his father if he needs anything else.

"Just put some water for _mate,[hijo](son)_ ," Leonel replies.

The house is old, but fixed and appropriately painted. It looks like a more comfortable version of the _parrilla_. There's sound everywhere: voices, a television, the ticking of a clock, an open faucet. Lionel is so used to living alone that he finds it all fascinating.

"Hey, mom," Sergio says as they walk into the kitchen, "you remember Lio?"

"Of course I do, who do you think I am, please," Sergio's mom closes the faucet and dries her hand on a cloth before giving Lionel her full attention.

"Come here, handsome, look at you, looking so smart with those scrubs, did you have lunch? You didn't come over for lunch, I bet you didn't eat a proper meal the whole day, look at you, so skinny."

"Wasn't he handsome a moment ago?" Sergio asks, clearly amused, filling a kettle with water.

"Oh, shut up, you," she says, and the back to Lionel. "Please, forgive an insistent mother, I can't help myself."

Lionel is completely fascinated by her and barely manages to say "it's okay," before Sergio is laughing.

"You left him speechless, mom, he can't be a doctor if he can't talk."

"Make your father's _mate_ , you," Adriana shushes him again. "Did you eat anything today, Lionel?"

"I did, I promise," Lionel says and he's so glad that and he and his classmates decided to go over that market across the hospital to eat, because he wouldn't have been able to look at Adriana in the eyes otherwise. "I'm okay, just a bit sleepy, I came over because I wanted to thank Gabriela for lending me her thermo cup."

"Aren't you the sweetest?" Adriana smiles and then turns to Sergio, "I'll finish that, take him to Gaby's room."

Sergio stops putting yerba into the mate, raises his hands as if he was being threaten by a gun, keeping them up until he's away from his mother, who just rolls her eyes at him. He takes Lionel's wrist to guide him out.

"Sorry, she really can't turn off the mom-ing," Sergio says but Lionel notices he doesn't sound embarrassed. Instead he sounds comfortable. At home.

"Here we are," Sergio says, before knocking into a door that has a "GABY&MAIRA'S KINGDOM" written on a board on it. Lionel gives the board a curious look.

"We used to have two rooms, one for girls and other one for the boys," Sergio explains, "since we've lived here,we've split into four rooms, so--"

"Come in," says a voice from the inside before Sergio can finish the sentence and he opens the door.

"Gaby, hi," he says and Lionel follows behind, "This is Leo."

"Hi Leo!" Gabriela stops her writing to get up and give him a kiss.

"Hi, Gabriela," Lionel replies, "I came here to say thank you, without your thermo cup I wouldn't had any coffee today."

"Oh," she grins, and when she does her eyes are small like Sergio's. It makes Lionel smile, too, "It was nothing, I didn't even need it, it was just here."

"Still," Lionel insist, "it was very nice of you and I was very popular today because of it."

"You’re welcome."

"We'll leave you to finish your homework now, Gabs," Sergio says and she nods, says goodbye to both of them.

"Where's Maira?" Lionel asks, when they’re out.

"Probably kicking Gastón's ass at PlayStation," he replies, "the younger two are out, at someone birthday party I think, you'll meet them some other time."

When they get back to the kitchen, Leonel and Adriana are sitting by the table, drinking mate, " Are you boys joining us?" she asks.

"No, I better get home," Lionel says.

"Family is waiting?" Leonel asks with a smile.

Lionel shakes his head, "my family lives in Rosario," he says, tries not to sounds too nonchalant about it, because he knows it doesn't look good, especially for a loving family like this one. "I live in the apartment that I used to share with my grandma"

Before the silence can stretch Adriana speaks, "You want to get some rest, right?"

"Yeah, I do."

"Figures," she says, "I can always tell who's a med student around here. They always look like they need a day or two just to sleep."

Lionel can't help the small laugh that escapes him.

"Come on, I'll walk you out," Sergio says.

 

.2004.

"I want to study in Buenos Aires," Lionel says and Jorge looks irate while mom's eyes just look sad.

"No," Jorge responds, "you can study here; we have some of the best universities in the country."

"Buenos Aires is better, and if I want to be a serious journalist I have to go there, I can't just stay here. I don't want to end up doing a column on sports on a small newspaper that no one reads anymore."

"Buenos Aires is all flash and nothing else. You'll be lost among everyone out there, you can do it here."

"I don't want to stay here, dad," Lionel says, "I'm tired of seeing people who ask me if I played with Rodas or people who ask me what happened to me if I was so good when I was a kid."

"We could--"

"I am not staying," Lionel says, getting up, "Grandma owns an apartment downtown in Buenos Aires, no one's living there. I'm going to live there and she already told me she'll come with me."

 

.2005.

When March begins, mom, dad, and even Yesica all start pointing out ideal places for them to move to. Some are close by, in Florencio Varela, Quilmes, Bernal. Some nice and big and out of their league, others comfy but small. Adriana suggests that they look into Capital Federal, too, maybe. They might even have a chance of finding something in commercial neighborhoods like Flores or Liniers or Once.

"Darío, from school," Leonel shares one night, " he knows about a place in Once, it needs a lot of work…"

"But?" Adriana asks.

"It's big," Leone says, "big enough that you could put up a, I don't know, maybe a _parrilla_ in the front."

Adriana hugs her husband,  and Sergio laughs and laughs and laughs.

 

.2015.

It's seven am and Lionel doesn't have to wake up early today, but he's awake anyway, walking down the street. Lionel is pretty sure he can hear his grandma laughing at him.  

He walks to _El castillo de la carne_ with slow, steady steps, enjoys the fresh autumn day. It took a little longer for the sun to come out today, marking the closeness to winter.

"You look weird," are Sergio's first words to him when he sees him. Lionel smiles, looks down at his jeans and shirt and jacket.

"No class today," Lionel explains, "I came here to help."

"All right," Sergio agrees, and gets him a broom and takes his jacket.

 

When the place is open and Sergio is washing his hands in the _parrilla_ 's kitchen before starting to help with the food, Lionel realizes the place has more employees than just Sergio and Yesica and their parents.

"Why do you clean the front every morning?" Lionel asks.

"It keeps me on my toes," Sergio replies, while he dries his hands in the same motion that Adriana had done it a few days ago, making Lionel smile. "It was only the four of us when we got here, and mom and dad had a lot to do and we needed to make this work. So, Yesica and I divided this half by half and started doing the cleaning like that, before and after. Right now, we're doing pretty good and I only have to do it outside in the morning, while Yesi does the inside."

Lionel smiles, wants to ask more, but Sergio's fathers appears, puts a hand on Lionel's shoulder, gives him an apron and sends him to wash his hands if he wants to "stay on this side of the place".

"Well, after a year studying microbiology, I appreciate your dad's dedication."

Sergio smiles, "one of these days, ask mom and Yesi to share the story of how dad discovered he could google all about restaurant sanitary measures, and how, ah, extreme he got. No one tells it like they do."

 

"Oh, hey," Sergio says while he's putting together a row of vegetables for Lionel to wash, "wanna stay to watch the game today?"

Since his grandma died, Lionel hasn't watched football with anyone.

"I have to study," he says, and it's not entirely false. Sergio doesn't ask him again.

 

.2005.

Lionel and his grandmother move to a three bedroom apartment in Buenos Aires. He needs to take a bus to get to his designated university. The neighborhood is different to what he's used, there's a lot of people here, a lot of buildings and universities and there's a big hospital near by.

"I like it here," his grandma says while they're looking through the window, holding two glasses of coke.

"Buenos Aires?" Lionel asks.

"This neighborhood," she corrects, "I feel good about it."

"Crazy old lady," Lionel says, as he does every time she makes a comment he doesn't fully grasp.

"Crazy teenager," she replies, on cue.

They smile and toast to their new home.

 

.2005.

Sergio is standing in the front door of what's going to become their _parrilla_ when Adriana finds him.

"What are you doing?" she asks.

"There are offices and a few construction sites here," he says, "and I counted four schools and five universities, and the hospital, five blocks away."

"Yeah?"

"Just like you wanted," Sergio says, beaming.

"Yes," she says and hugs her son, "you're just like I wanted."

"Am I?" Sergio says against her neck.

"No, to be honest, you're better."

"Shut up mom," he says, but he's still smiling.

 

.2015.

When Lionel gets to Sergio's street, he finds him sitting by the side of the street, looking up to the sky.

"What are you doing?" Lionel asks, when he gets close. Sergio looks at him and gives him his familiar welcoming smile.

"Hola," he says, starts getting up, "do you ever wonder if people are just meant to meet?"

"What?" Lionel feels like he's arrived late to a conversation that's been going on for some time.

"Something Yesi said last night," Sergio explains, "about you and me. She thinks that if you came into my life the way you did, it must be for a reason. I told her the reason was that you're a clumsy runner.. She called me an idiot."

"She's right about that."

"Haha," Sergio pretends to laugh, while starting to walk away, "come on, let's go."

"Go where?"

"I'm gonna walk you to the hospital and then come back here to clean."

"Oh, okay."

  
When Lionel sees Sergio walking away after saying goodbye at the back entrance of the hospital, he feels the sudden impulse to stop him, call out his name and tell him to stay, tell him they can go have breakfast somewhere, walk around, just _, stay together_.

 

 _El castillo de la carne_ is already closed, even if it's barely ten minutes after five. Lionel considers leaving and coming back tomorrow, but that odd longing from earlier hasn't left him during the day. He rings the bell.

"Who's there?" he hears Sergio’s father ask through the door and Lionel says his name with only a little bit of doubt.

"Hi, Leo," the man says opening the door, "we finished earlier today, are you hungry?"

What is it with this family and wanting to constantly feed him? Then again, his dark scrubs make him look extra skinny, and they do own a restaurant.

"I had lunch in the hospital's cafeteria," Lionel explains, and when the man makes a face he laughs a little, "it's not as bad as it sounds, really."

"I'll trust you on that, son," Leonel moves away from the door, "Do you want to come in?"

"Actually, I wanted to ask Sergio if---"

"Hey, what are you doing here?" Sergio comes to the door.

"Looking for you," Lionel replies, "I've earned some free time from the books and wanted to see if I could beat your ass at PES?"

"Excuse you, I'll beat your ass," Sergio says.

"Wanna come over and see who's right?" Lionel asks.

"Totally, let me grab my things," Sergio walks away.

Lionel looks at Sergio's father, "I'll send him back for dinner."

"Nah," Leonel says, "we'll manage without him, you guys have fun. Have him let me know when he's coming back at night, his mother sleeps better when she knows where he is."

"Sure, mom sleeps better," Sergio says, patting his father’s shoulder and making the man smile.

 

They tie the first two games, before Sergio suggests that they play one on the same team. “Did you always want to be a doctor?" Sergio asks.

"I, uh, I tried journalism before," Lionel replies, looking at the screen so he doesn't have to look at Sergio. "I did it for two years , but it really wasn't my thing ,I guess it was just the obvious choice to make. Then grandma died and I took a sabbatical year and when I had to get back I, I changed my mind."

"Sorry about your grandma," Sergio isn't really playing, he's watching Lionel, who can feel his gaze. Lionel is still trying to play, trying not to have this conversation. Sergio keeps talking. 

"Why the obvious choice?" he asks.

Lionel considers saying he's always liked sports and how becoming a journalist was the thing to do when you liked sports and couldn't play them. It's, basically, the truth. But this is Sergio. He wants to tell him everything.

Lionel stops the game, not that Sergio notices.

"I wanted to play football when I was a kid," Lionel explains. "I got to play at Newell's. There should be some videos of me on the internet,  because I played some games with Gustavo Rodas. But I have a condition, an hormone deficiency, and I couldn't play professionally without the right treatment."

"Hormone deficiency?" Sergio asks, his head tilted to the side, and he looks like a small kid or a baby animal and Lionel wants to touch him.

"Our body produces certain, ah, substances, called hormones to do a lot of things," he explains, like he's been taught to do with patients, with people that don't need to know these things. He explains it as if he wasn't talking about himself.

"One of those is there to help us grow up.” he says, “I didn't have enough of that one. So I was a really small kid and I wouldn't be able to be a professional player. my body wasn't going to make it. I was got treatment for a few years, enough to be healthy, but not enough to be a player." 

Lionel pauses, wonders if he should explain more but can't bring himself to do it.

"I'm sorry," Sergio says, uncharacteristically serious "for everyone but me, who won't get to know you."

"You don't even know if I was a good player Sergio."

"I don't care about that," Sergio says, and he sounds like he really doesn't, "I was talking about you as a person."

Sergio turns back to the game after that and presses play. They play in silence for a while, until Lionel asks "what about you?"

"I made it to the [_reserva_](second%20team), never to the first team. Once, I thought I was close enough, but not really."

"You were going to play too?" this time Lionel is the one who's not watching the screen.

"Yeah," Sergio says, like it's something obvious, and after a moment, "oh, you didn't know, right."

The game is paused again.

"I played at Independiente's younger divisions for a few years, but I didn't make it through the cut in '03," Sergio says, "the club let go of a lot of kids, because it was trying to maintain economic stability. Back at home, mom and dad needed a hand, Yesi was already working and I decided to help, too. There wasn't any more time to play."

"And what about later?" Lionel asks. "You never tried again?"

"Nah, I'm out of shape, and I'm happy with what I do now. I like helping in the _parrilla_ , and with the kids."

"Don't you want to do anything else?"

"I didn't even finish high school, Leo," smiles Sergio.

"You could prepare for the exams and finish it," Lionel says. "It would be a great example for Gastón."

"What, you mean I’m not a good example now?"

"Of course you are Kun, but---"

"How did you call me?" Sergio interrupts him, his voice strange to Lionel's ears, low and angry.

"I heard your dad call you that once."

"Yeah, don't call me that," Sergio puts the controller down and gets up, "I'm going home. Don't get up, the doorman can open downstairs."

 

Lionel doesn't sleep well that night.

 

Sergio didn't leave late, barely after seven, but it was dark outside already. Lionel's worried brain keeps  picturing a crude scenario where something happened to Sergio. Something that he can't know, because he doesn't have the phone number of anyone in Sergio's family, and they don't have his number either.

He also keeps wondering what he did wrong, when all he wanted (all he always wants) was Sergio to be happy.

He dreams about his grandmother. They're back at the house in Rosario, and she's sitting in a chair in the shadows, while he kicks a football at the wall.

The ball never comes back.

He wakes up tired. Dresses tired and walks tired. He's not sure what he's going to say to Sergio when he sees him. maybe he'll start with "I'm sorry" and see where Sergio takes it from there. When he gets to the metal curtain of _El castillo de la carne_ , Yesica is there, instead of Sergio. Lionel stares at her blankly.

"I don't even know," she says, and gives him the thermo cup. It's not Gabriela's pink one.

"Don't look at me like that," Yesica says, "I'm here against my will, but this is your coffee."

"This is not Gaby's thermo," Lionel says, because that's the only thing that he can process right now. He can't believe Sergio isn't here.

"No, it's yours," Yesica says, Lionel can see her roll her eyes. "I don't know Leo, come back later and talk to him. He's very annoying when he's moping."

"He's moping?"

"Yes," she says. "And he looks as bad as you."

Lionel considers staying, asking Yesica to let him in.

"Go to class," she says, and Lionel doesn't believe he can contradict her, so he goes.

Lionel is pretty sure the time is moving backwards. He doesn't care if that's impossible, it seems to be earlier every time he checks his watch. Or his phone. Or the clock in the classroom.

 

The day starts moving a little faster when they get to see some patients, because at least listening to people makes his head focus on something that’s not what Yesica said or what Sergio could be doing right now.

When he can finally leave, as late as any other Wednesday, he walks slowly, trying to regroup. He's still not sure why Sergio got so mad, how the conversation went from sharing past childhood dreams to Sergio getting up and not wanting to see him in the morning.

 

Lionel stops at the door of the house and wonders if he should knock or if he should go home and come back later, when the restaurant's open so he can go find Sergio himself. But then he remembers Yesica telling him to come back and knocks.

Adriana opens the door. She's holding a mate and the first thing she does is offer it to Lionel. It's untouched and it has that herby smell that Sergio's kitchen has. He barely mutters a "thanks" before drinking it.

"Come on, Sergio's in his room," she lets him in, and closes the door. She doesn't say anything else, just indicates the right direction and taking the  the mate back. She squeezes his arm before letting him go, making him feel oddly comforted.

Lionel knocks on Sergio's door and receives an immediate "Come in." He enters with caution, looking around forGastón.

"He has afternoon training on Wednesdays," Sergio explains. He's lying on his bed, wearing the Independiente jersey that Lionel saw a few mornings ago. He sits up as he speaks. "How was your day?"

"Awful," Lionel doesn't lie, "yours?"

Sergio shrugs. "Sit down," he says and points the end of the bed. Lionel leaves his bag by the door and does that.

"I'm sorry," Lionel says.

"Why are you sorry?"

"I don't know," he confesses, "I didn't mean to make you mad with what I said."

"Yeah, I figured," Sergio replies, "you're forgiven anyway. I shouldn't have just left like that. Yesi says I should have given you a chance to explain or something."

"You should have," Lionel says, but goes on before Sergio can protest, "I only said it because you brought it up, the never finishing high school thing. It's not something you have to do Sergio, unless you want to."

Sergio nods. "You can call me Kun if you want," he says, dismissing the rest of the topic or just deciding it's closed. Lionel is okay with either. "Dad called me that when I was a kid and back at Independiente a lot of people called me that. Only my dad uses it now."

"You don't mind?"

"Not really," Sergio sits closer to Lionel, crossing his legs Indian style, "I kinda miss it."

Lionel smiles. He suddenly wants to reach over the small distance between them and touch Sergio, wants to take his hand and see how their fingers would look, entwined.

"I saw the videos," Sergio admits, "you were pretty good."

It's Lionel's time to shrug. "That's what they say."

"You don't remember?"

"I remember liking it and people telling me I did well," Lionel says, "I also remember how dad took me to a lot of places when I was starting to grow up, or not to grow up. I was always a small kid, but at some point I was really, really small. I looked like the youngest of my siblings when I wasn't."

"He took you to a lot of doctors?"

Lionel shakes his head. "A lot of clubs. He spoke with people at Rosario and every time anyone from Buenos Aires came to scout players, he went and talked to them."

"You really wanted to play, huh?" Sergio smiles.

"I guess," Lionel says. "Dad wanted and mom wanted it and I guess my grandma did too, so I played. Until I couldn't."

"But you like football."

"I love football," Lionel says, "Loving it doesn't mean playing it. My grandma loved football and she never played it."

"I'm sorry I didn't get to meet her."

"Me too," Lionel smiles a bit, "she was crazy and weird. You would have liked her."

That makes Sergio laugh.

"Don't you miss you parents?" Sergio asks, once he's not laughing anymore.

"I used to fight with my dad a lot. I guess he's still mad at me."

"Mad?"

"Because I didn't make it," Lionel replies, the confesses "or maybe he's mad at himself, because he didn't keep trying. I did grow up better after sixteen, and we could have tried again. But he never asked, and I really didn't want to anymore."

"You didn't want to play?"

"I didn't want to be disappointed;.I didn't want to disappoint him."

"You're gonna be a doctor Leo. I don't think you're going to be a disappointment."

"It's not the same, it's not football."

"You were good at football back then, now you're good at this," Sergio pauses, "you're good at this, right?"

Lionel laughs,."I had a rough start, but I guess I am."

"You guess?" Sergio smacks his arm, "gimme something more, come on."

"I'm doing fine." Lionel replies. "It makes a lot more sense than journalism."

"Are you going to be a sports doctor? Like be right there by the field and all."

"Maybe," Lionel says, "or a pediatrician."

"Oh! You'd be really good at that!" Sergio says, grinning. "You explained the thing about your health really well to someone like me, who can't understand shit, and Gaby likes you, I bet all kids like you. You'll be good with them and with their parents."

Sergio gets up from the bed and stretches once he's on his feet.

"What are you doing?"

"Let's go have something to eat before we need to get ready to reopen the _parrilla,_ " Sergio says, "or do you need to leave?"

"No, no," Lionel gets up as well. "I can stay."

"Awesome," Sergio turns, smiles at Lionel and then suddenly, he's in  his personal space, still grinning.

"Kun?" Lionel asks, partly because he wants to say something, partly to use the name he now has permission to use.

"I'd like you as a football player, I guess," Sergio says, and really, he's very close. Lionel is pretty sure that if he didn't have the bed behind him he'd step back. "I would have your jersey and all."

"Even if you were a player too?" Lionel asks, because no, honestly he wouldn't step back, not even if he had all the space in the world.

"Sure," Sergio says, "would you have mine?"

"The national team one, I couldn't own an Independiente's jersey."

"And if I gave it to you?"

"I could find a place for it in a drawer, somewhere," Lionel says. "I like how you didn't make a comment about how I put you on the national team."

"I assumed that's where we would have played together," Sergio says, naturally, and then as if it’s the proper end to the sentence like a period, he gives Lionel a short peck on the lips.

"I'm hungry," Sergio says, moving away.

"Yeah, me too," Lionel agrees, watching Sergio's back.

 

That night, when he gets home after _El castillo de la carne_ closes (he texted Sergio as soon as he did, just like he asked him to, and told him that he could tell Adriana he’d arrived safe ) he calls his parents.

It's late and he apologies for it, but his father dismisses the apology, says he's going to put him on speaker so his mom can hear him too. Lionel speaks with his parents for the longest time since he'd moved to Buenos Aires.

He tells them about studying in the hospital for the first time, about how different from regular classes it is, tells them about his friends there, and mentions Sergio, calling him "my friend from the neighborhood". He listens when his mom tells him about his brothers and sisters, to his dad when he talks about his job and about Rosario in general.  And when his mother says "good night son, call again soon," he agrees to do it on the weekend and smiles.

 

Sergio is actually already cleaning the street when Lionel gets close.

"Good morning," he says, and Sergio jumps a bit.

"Ah, hola, I wasn't paying attention."

"You're starting early," Lionel points out.

"We need to go buy some extra things, so when I'm done I'm taking mom and the car," Sergio walks to the side door by the curtain and calls out "Dad! Where's Leo's coffee?"

"By the door, you blind human," Leonel replies. "Good morning Leo!"

"Good morning Mr. King," Lionel replies, making the elder man laugh, the sound easy on the ears in the quietness of the hour.

"You're not going to quit that are you?" Sergio asks, after finding Lionel’s blue thermo cup at the side of the open door.

"You guys decided to call this place a castle because of your last name, so I plan to call your father King and your mother Queen, until the day I die," Lionel declares as solemnly as he can, but they both end up grinning while Sergio gives him the thermo.

"I didn't say thanks for this, did I?" Lionel asks as he holds the cup.

"Nope, but I deduced it," Sergio smiles, "and I also stole it from you bag last night, clearly."

"Clearly," Lionel smiles, "see you later?"

Sergio nods, and Lionel waits for a kiss. Last night there wasn't one, but Sergio's family was there, so Lionel assumed it was because of them. The kiss doesn't come, Sergio goes back to his broom and bucket. Lionel touches his back with a long caress as he walks away, just because he can.

Lionel doesn't even consider going home after his classes. It's Thursday and class lets out early, he'll get to have a burger.

"Hi, Adriana," he greets as he enters and kisses her hello.

"Hey, Leo, do you want to sit or do you want to come back here?"

"I don't want to bother."

"You never bother, dear, please," she says and points out table with space for four people close to a corner. "Go over there. I'll make one of the kids bring you food. Burger right?"

"Yes, please."

Yesica brings him a set of cutlery and a bottle of water, says. "Thank you".

"What, why?"

Yesica gives him a look. She doesn't call him an idiot but Lionel hears it anyway.

"Ah, no," he says, "thanks _you_."

"You're welcome," she says, smiling.

Not long after, Lionel feels a hand on his shoulder and there's a plate in front of him.

"I added extra cheese because dad said you told him you liked it," Sergio says before sitting next to Lionel. "Why were you talking to my dad about how you like your burgers?"

"He asked, unlike you," Lionel says before biting down into his food,.Sergio makes a disapproving noise.

"So this morning, mom got into a fight with one of the guys who delivers our bread and now we need to find a new one."

Lionel swallows. He can't actually picture Adriana fighting anyone. "Was she right?"

"Of course she was," Sergio says.

"I called my parents last night."

"Oh," Sergio opens his eyes with honest surprise. "Why didn't you tell me this morning?"

"I was sleepy."

"How did it go?" Sergio asks. "Why did you call?"

"You made me miss them, I guess," Lionel says, taking another small bite. He swallows again before going on. "It was nice, I actually enjoyed it. I haven't enjoyed speaking with them since, since ever, I think."

"That's good," Sergio squeezes his arm and gets up. "Wanna play some PES with Gasti and Maira later?"

"Yeah, are we going to make your little siblings cry?"

Sergio smiles at that. "Exactly," he says, "you understand me like no one else does."

He kisses the top of Lionel's head before walking away to take an order.

 

They don't make them cry, but Gastón cusses them out a few times. Maira is a way better loser and even congratulates them, shaking their hands solemnly. Lionel doesn't laugh at her, but Sergio does.

Sergio sets the game so they play against each other when the kids leave.

"You think we'd play this if we ever made it?" Sergio asks "Like, maybe when we shared a room and that."

"Who says I'd share a room with you?" Lionel says. "The other day Gastón was complaining about how you always leave the television on, I couldn't sleep like that!"

"Cry-baby," Sergio says, and scores on the screen.

After they tie the game, Lionel gives him a look. "In this scenario where we're playing together," he starts, "are you coming to Newell's or am I going to Independiente?"

"Don't be an idiot," Sergio says, "we're on the national team."

Lionel laughs at that. "Of course we are."

"Well, yeah," Sergio pauses the game, "you were a prodigy, so, surely, you could have been on the U-21 soon."

"Alright."

"Like in '04 or '05," Sergio keeps explaining. "There was the Youth World Cup in the Netherlands in 2005, so, I'm going to say that we'd meet there."

"I would have been eighteen, you seventeen, right?"

"Mhm, it works," Sergio declares. "So, we'd meet there, start rooming together and all."

"Sounds like a plan," Lionel smiles.

They start playing again.

"What were you doing in 2005?" Lionel asks.

"We got this place, like, the house with space for the _parrilla_. We were just renting it back then," Sergio smiles, "but yeah, we moved here in '05. What about you?"

Lionel doesn't cut the game, but stops watching it, turns his head to look at Sergio.

"Grandma and I moved here," he says, smiles a little, "to Buenos Aires and to the apartment five blocks from here."

Sergio looks at him "Hey," he says, "that's pretty cool."

"Yes," Lionel agrees, "it is."

 

Their morning meeting on Friday goes as usual, but when Sergio asks him if he's coming over later, Lionel tells him that he's going back to the apartment to study. He explains that he's been neglecting things these past few days and that he doesn't want to clog his whole weekend.

But when Sergio gives him something that looks suspiciously like puppy eyes, Lionel invites him to come over on Saturday, while _El castillo de la carne_ is closed (which was his plan all along, but Sergio doesn't need to know this). Sergio looks slightly happier at the offer and agrees.

Lionel considers that a bold morning can be ended on a bolder note and gives Sergio a brief kiss on the mouth before leaving.

He smiles throughout his classes, and apparently it's weird enough that two doctors and a few of his friends  ask him if he's okay, and half of his classmates accuse him of being high.

 

There's a game on television when Sergio arrives on Saturday.

"It's getting cold outside," he says instead of hello, and goes over to Lionel's kitchen as if he owns the place.

"It’s not summer anymore, Kun," Lionel says. He gestures at a bag Kun brought with him. "What do you have in there?"

"Our dinner," Sergio replies as he starts to store things in the fridge.

"Our dinner?"

"Mom and Dad called Facu, the kid who helps on busy days, so I'm staying to have dinner with you," Sergio finishes and closes the fridge door. "I’m cooking, because I don't trust you in the kitchen."

"Like you can cook anything besides burgers."

"Oh, you'd be surprised, buddy."

"I'm constantly surprised by you, Kun," Lionel admits, even before actually thinking about what he's saying. Sergio's eyes open wide t and he walks over to where Lionel is standing.

"Sap," he says, finally.

"An uncommon feature that sometimes comes to light," Lionel admits. Sergio laughs.

"I don't mind," he says. "You know, I'm kinda happy we didn't become professional players."

"You are?"

"Yeah," Sergio says, "this way we get to be just us, just this."

Sergio catches Lionel's mouth in a kiss, not just a peck with a promise of _more, maybe, later,_ but an actual kiss. Lionel responds in kind, trying not to laugh into the kiss and break it. It doesn't work, but it doesn't matter. They have time to keep practicing.

Together.

 

 

 _"I sometimes have a queer feeling with regard to you -_  
_especially when you are near me, as now:_  
_it is as if I had a string somewhere under my left ribs,_  
_rightly and inextricably knotted to a similar string_  
_situated in the corresponding quarter of your little frame."_  
Charlotte Brontë'sJane Eyre

 

  


 

**Author's Note:**

> Dearest Aguero, I hope you enjoyed this. Thank you for choosing my simple baby idea, that someone wanted to read this as much as I wanted to write it made working on it so, so much better. 
> 
> Extra data:  
> The title comes from a very popular song in Argentina that belongs to the musical film [Tango Feroz](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tango_Feroz). The movie isn't related to the fic, but the idea of this fic is to show that love can overcome any universe, so the whole "love is stronger" kinda makes sense.  
> The lyrics at the start mean: "Come looking for me, come looking for me, your heart would know how to find me, close to the valley, away from the sea, under this sky I'll wait for you"  
> The line about Kun not being a kid ever belongs to [neyvenger](http://archiveofourown.org/users/jjjat3am/pseuds/neyvenger).  
> Extra conext  
> [Polenta](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polenta).  
> Casita Robada: literally, stolen house. A kids’ cards game, if anyone wants to know the rules, I can explain ;)  
> [ The Hospital](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hospital_de_Cl%C3%ADnicas_%22Jos%C3%A9_de_San_Mart%C3%ADn%22)  
> Gustavo Ariel Rodas was a player who was supposed to be “as good as Leo” and was a year older. They both belong to Newell’s winning youth. Rodas’ family and his life weren’t as ideal as one could dream for a player and he didn’t make it (he had a kid and he decided that first he was going to be a dad and then a player, he currently plays for an amateur team in Argentina).  
> During 2000-2001 Argentina went through a lot of problems. Economically, the country was doing pretty bad, without turning this into a history lesson because this is a fic, the idea that Kun’s family was having a bad time and even the idea that Leo’s family wouldn’t have made the trip to Barcelona are supported by this (Leo’s family was in a way better position than Kun’s, that’s for sure, but if we’re stretching it only takes someone to make a different decision right?). Around late 03-04 the country starts to improve, mostly for lower and middle class families, like Kun’s.  
> The reason why Kun is what it is is because Leo once said that he was surprised by Sergio's really good asados.


End file.
